Whipping hockey top



Sept. 29, 1925.

1,555,466A A. GIACOPINL WHIPPING HOCKEY TOP Filed Sept. l5, 1922 ping top of the abovenature simple, cheap tomanufacture,

'PatentednSept 29, 19725,

A UNITED STA Tess PATENT OFFICE.

p AUGUST GIACOPINI, orvroRRrNGToN, CONNECTICUT.

WHIPPING HOCKEY Tor.

- applicati@ lavseptember 15, 1922. serial-1ro. 588,330.

T 0 ill whom t may concern.'

' Be it known that VI, AUGUST GIACOPINI, a citizen of the United States, and'a resident of Torrington, county of Litchfield, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Whipping Hockey Tops, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to toy spinningtops, and more particularly to a toy spinning-top which is adapted to be kept in has been illust-rated on lthe accompanying drawing one form in which the invention may be conveniently embodied in practice.

Fig. 1 representsa perspective view of the whipping topand the whip, showing the manner in which they are held bythe hand ,of the user, preparatory to starting the top spinning. f

Fig. 2 is a side view of the top. Fi 3'isa side 4sectional view of the same.

Fig. 4 isa view of the top taken from above. p A Fig. 5 is a view, with parts broken away,

ofthe whip handle and cord employed for spinning the top.

Former whipping tops have always proven I unsatisfactory in use, `generally due to the diiiiculty of manipulating them. Such topsl lwere usually top-heavy and unbalanced, and it was necessary to strike them with the whip cord at certam specifiedfareasl or posi-l tions in the height of the tops.` An inexperienced person using such a top was quite .apt

to strike at the wrong place, with the result lthat the ,top would soon run downjonv acy count lof ,insufficient rotative momentum, or

would'become; unbalanced'- and fall( over. Moreover, when a blow was struck on such a top ata point above or below the specified area, the cord would not wrap itself about, but would slidel o' without giving the top any increment of spinning motion. In most.

cases, such a blow would upset the top, and

as the devlce was top-heavy, it would be and` unable to right itself, vand would soon lstop spinning entirely.

With the present invention, the above and other disadvantages have been largely, ifl

not entirely avoided.' This has been accomy like reference numerals denote correspond- ,ing parts throughout the several views, the

" numeral 10`designates the top proper, which may bemade of any suitable material, but which 1s preferably vconstructed of hardwood. The upper or dome portion 11 of' the top body comprises a section of a sphere, as clearly shown in Figs. v2 and 3, and the intermediate portion'12 of the top is ovalshaped, having `its diameter diminished from the upper tonthe bottom portion therev of. The bottom vof the intermediate section. 12 is cutoff at 13 at right angles to the axis of the top,l and has an inwardly and upwardly extending recess 14 provided there- 1n to receive a metal peg 15. The peg 15 'has a conical point 16 and a rounded head' 17, the outer portionof the head 17 u being adapted to rest on the ground or floor during spinning, the base lof said head lying in Contact with the yflat portion 13 of the intermediate section 12. A The spherical upper section 11 of the whippingtop is`provided with a series of grooves 1 8 (three, in th'is'instance).Y These grooves 18 which rare located adjacent the 4' jun tion withl the intermediate `section 12', extend horizontally around the circumference of the gtop. The4 intermediate"l section 12 is i -19, spaced-'somewhat vfurther apart` than the grooves 18, and located ata point about.-- rorlle fourth the` distance from the vbottom tov` nt, e` upper part of the top. The grooves 18 also provided with a series ofgroo'ves mentalappearance of the top, but also serve anopening 22 in the end to prevent the end of the cord being pulled through the' opening 22. The cord which is circular in cross section is preferably constructed of leather, but if desired, other materials such as hemp twine, braided cotton fabric, or the like, may be employed.

In operation, the top is first started spinning by placing it between both hands and moving one hand rapidly over the other. This will give the top sufficient angular momentum to sustain it in spinning position for a short period.

An alternative method of starting the top spinning 'which requires the use of only one hand is shown in Fig. l. According to this method, the whip cord 2O is wrappedaround the central portion of thetop between the grooves 18 and 19, in the same manner in which the string is wound about the common spinning top preparatory to spinning. The cord is held in position by means of the thumb and fore linger, and thetop is started spinning by giving a sudden pull y with the whip handle, whereby the cord will sudden blows with theI whip cord 20, the- 'engage the surface of the top with suiiicient 'friction to rotate it. After the top has been started spinning, it is thereafter kept in ro'- tary motion by striking it a seriesof sharp handle of the whip being h eld in the'hand of the operator.

One advantage-oli this invention is that a lsingle top may be kept continuously spinning without rewinding for an indefinite time-the time of spinning being entirely dependent upon the will of the user.

A further advantage of this top over previous devices is that it may be engaged by rthe cord at any point on its height, and

not necessarily at a particular area or section, as was the casewit-h previous whipping tops. Moreover, the /bottomof the top is not brought to a sharp point, but is rounded. The sides/ef/ the top are also curved in such a mannen thatthe bottom of the top will be ,relatively wide, permitting the whip cord to more readily lengage and wrapitself around: the body of the topyinsteadof slipping down as would be the case on atp having straight conical sides. l

The present form of top will be found especially useful as a, means for healthful recreation and exercise. Competition luextween'individuals may be easily arranged number of different tops spinning ratfthe same time.

Another attractive competition k1n which the present invention may be employed is a hockey game. In such'a competition, the top will be used inplace of the usual ball or puck, and each player will be given a whip instead of an ordinary hockey stick. Otherwise the game will be played by the customary rules. 1'

While there has been disclosed in this specification one formin which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that this form isy shown for thepurpose of illustration only, and thatthe invention is not to be limited to thespecific disclosure, but may be modified andembodied in various other forms' without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all 'the modifications and embodiments coming tially egg-shaped body portion larger at the top than at the bottom, said body portionhaving a Ysmooth yunobstructed spherical dome section at its upper end, a smooth, intermediate conveXly curved section, and a smooth curved unpointed peg section at its lower end, whereby the top will be permitted to rock over when struck by a whipping cord permitting said cord` to slide under said top, said body portion having a series of cord engaging grooves between its dome and its intermediate section and a second series off cord engaging grooves between said curved peg section and said intermedi-` ate section, whereby, when the top is struck `by said cord at any point between'its dome section and its peg section, said cord will i be prevented from slipping oit' and will frictionally engage in one of said series of cord engaging grooves to imparta spinning motion to said top. s

In4 testimony whereof, I have affixed my signature to this specification.

AUGUST GiAcoPiNi. 

